Lady Trojans have their ups and downs

Mendota’s Brooke Carroll slides into second before the tag of an Oregon player during softball action on April 25 at the MHS diamond. (Reporter photo)

A 12-hit attack lifted the Mendota Lady Trojans to an 8-5 verdict over Oregon in Big Northern Conference softball action on April 24 at Oregon.

MHS jumped out to a 4-1 lead with single runs in the first and second innings and two in the third. Ashlyn Kennedy singled home Brooke Carroll, who had singled and stole two bases, in the top of the first, and then Kelly Christman singled and later scored thanks to Oregon errors in the second.

Carroll’s three hits led MHS’s offense, while Kennedy, DeLong, Phalen and Christman had two hits apiece.

Kennedy was the winning pitcher, giving up six hits and one earned run in seven innings. She struck out 10 and walked two.

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Oregon and Mendota battled again on April 25, this time on the MHS field, and the visiting Lady Hawks came away with a 7-6 BNC win.

Oregon built up a 5-2 lead through four innings. Mendota’s tallies came when Kennedy doubled and scored on a single by DeLong in the first, and Christman doubled and was knocked in by a Halie Donahue single in the second.

The Lady Trojans got back in the game with three runs in the fifth. Carroll singled, Kennedy doubled and DeLong reached on an error to load the bases. A ground out by Mary Wackerlin drove in one run, a single by Phalen added another and a ground out by Christman produced the final run of the frame.

Mendota’s 12-hit attack was led by Kennedy with three hits, and Carroll, DeLong, Phalen and Christman with two each.

Kennedy took the loss in the circle. She allowed 10 hits, one walk and struck out six. Five of the seven runs were earned.

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Runs were hard to come by for Mendota and Byron as the Lady Trojans dropped a 2-1 contest to the Lady Tigers in a BNC game on April 26 at Byron.

Byron owned a 2-0 lead through five innings when Mendota got its lone run of the game in the top of the sixth. Kennedy reached on a one-out single and eventually came around to score.

Kennedy, who had thrown a no-hitter against Byron earlier in the month, suffered the tough-luck loss. She gave up five hits and struck out four. She did not issue a walk.

Mendota, which is 4-3 in conference games, managed only five hits, all singles.

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Mendota hosted Serena in a double-header on April 27 and each team came away with a victory.

The visitors were 6-2 winners in the opener.

Mendota had only three hits. Walters led off the game for MHS with a single, stole second and scored on a single DeLong. After Phalen singled to start the second, the Lady Trojans did not have a hit the rest of the way.

Browder was the losing pitcher. She gave up nine hits, two earned runs, walked two and struck out six.

A five-run first propelled MHS to a 10-1 win in the nightcap.

Walters opened with a double and scored on a Kennedy single. Reiss Avery also singled in a run and Madison McConville delivered a two-run single.

Kennedy went the distance to earn the win. She gave up just three hits, walked two and fanned 11.